Table 2.

Patients characteristics at liver biopsy. Values are expressed as Mean ± SD

Parameter	Group A n = 31 (Peg-IFNα + RBV + placebo)	Group B n = 31 (Peg-IFNα + RBV + Silybin, Vit E, phospholipids)	p-value
Mean age (years)	45.8 ± 3.9	47.2 ± 3.7	N.S.
HCV exposure time (years)	5.87 ± 4.9	5.96 ± 4.2	N.S
BMI (kg/m2)	27.8 ± 3.1	27.4 ± 3.6	N.S.
Plasma glucose (mmol/l) (normal 3.9–6.4)	5.6 ± 0.78	5.9 ± 0.70	N.S.
AST (IU/l) (normal 15–50)	173.2 ± 37.8	178.4 ± 37.4	N.S.
ALT (IU/l) (normal 15–50)	187.2 ± 37.2	184.1 ± 38.2	N.S.
Viremia (106 IU/ml)	5.21 ± 2.24	5.20 ± 2.44	N.S.
HAI	10.7 ± 3.2	10.9 ± 3.4	N.S.